I can tell you it isn’t easy tasting through 208 wines, submitted by 59 wineries. Wines under review included 135 reds (including 69 pinot noirs), and 51 white wines (including 18 chardonnays), and took a full day of tippling to determine a winner.

I can also tell you that it takes discipline. Swirling, smelling, sipping, analyzing and spitting flight after flight of premium Oregon wine in search of that one “Best in Show,” plus awarding a slew of golds and silver medals…can lead to palate fatigue.

You can catch a sneak peek of all Erin James’ excellent behind-the-scenes coverage of the 2019 McMinnville Wine & Food Classic SIP! Wine Competition, including answers to all those pesky questions…and more. Link to the Sip Northwest Magazine article here.